Back-folder for envelop-machines.



No. 738,553. PATENTED SEPT. 8- 1903. G. T. LEMELIN.

BACK FOLDER FOR ENVBLOP MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 21. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

ivdvsaesa UNITED STATES ll atented September 8, 1903.

PATENT FFICE.

I GEORGE T. LEMELIN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BACK-FOLDER FOR ENVELOP-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,553, dated September 8, 1903. Application filed July 21, 1902. Serial No. 116.330. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. LEMELIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield,'in the county of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Back-Folder for Envelop-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in envelop machine folders for turning down i and sticking one of the large flaps to the side flaps of the envelop-blank, in which a folderplate of'peculiar construction and yielding bearings for the plate are employed, as hereinafter fully described, and especially claimed; and the objects of my improvement are to provide means for rolling over rather than abruptly bending the rear edge of the envelop-blank, for holding the envelop-blank so that all of the edges are folded evenly, and for pressing down the rear flap, also means for preventing injury to the folder or other parts in case a bunch of envelops, a nut, or

other obstruction accidentally gets between the folder and trap.

With my device I am able to produce envelops which have more uniform edges than has been done heretofore and to avoid crushing the edge operated on by the folder-plate.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a front view of my folder; Fig. -2, a plan view of said holder; Fig. 3, a side view of one of theyielding bearings mounted .on a table, showing in dotted lines the position it would assume if an obstruction got under thefolder-plate; Fig. 4, a vertical crosssection through the folder-plate; and Fig. 5,

of the plate a, so as to permit the plate to rest upon the trap c when thrown forward.

Lugs 01 project from the back of the plate a, anltli Zjournals e a project from the ends of the ro i From the foregoing description of the folderplate it will be readily seen that when said plate is swung forward and downward from the normal upright position it catches the adjacent flap portion of an envelop-blank previously deposited in its path, quickly turns it down, and rolls over the adjacent edge instead of crushing it, as does the old style of folder-plate. A plate of this descriptionalso holds the blank in place .and insures an even fold to all of the edges, the reason for which is because of the peculiar rolled construction of the base and the straight face of the plate, which rises in unbroken line from the roll I). Envelops folded by this means are of uniform size, corresponding edges being even, which is not the case when the blank is not held firmly at the beginning of the folding operation by the folders, and, as before stated, the rolling action produced by the plate a is not such as to crush the paper at this point; but an edge is formed which is literally rolled over. The roll in the paper is necessarily slight,nevertheless is not a crushed bend. This feature of my invention can be used either with or without the yielding bearings described'below, and the latter may be employed with other kinds of folder-plates.

It will be understood that there are two bearings for each folder, and a description of one is applicable to the other.

A holder f is provided witlra bolt-hole 9, preferably elongated laterally for adjustment, a .pin h rising from the top and lugs to; at the front end. A journal-block j, perforated laterally at the front at j to receive one of the journals 6, has a tongue 70, adapted to enter between the holder-lugs t, to which it is pivoted by a pin Z, extending through horizontal holes in said tongue and lugs. Any other suitable joint may be used at this point; but the one just described is strong and rigid and for this reason desirable. The hole j is below the horizontal center of the block j in order to allow the bottom of the roll I) to extend below the top surface of the table a when said block is in place on the table and the plate a is connected therewith. A stiff flat spring m, provided with a bolthole similar to the hole g and another hole to receive the pin it, is adapted to be placed on and secured to the holder-f when the same is fastened to the top of the table 0 by means of a bolt 12. The front or free terminal of the spring m reaches over onto the top of the block j and presses the same downward onto the table with suflicient force to hold the plate a in place with all the power required for ordinary purposes, yet the spring is not so strong as to prevent the raising of the block 7' when an obstruction gets beneath said'plate in its downward sweep. The pin 72 serves simply to assist in retaining the spring m in position.

As before stated, two yielding bearings are used, one at each end of the folder-plate, and they are securely bolted to the table. These yielding bearings hold the folder-plate securely in position, permitting the same to swing for the performance of its work; but at the same time they will yield or give sufficiently to permit one or both ends of said plate to be elevated and thus avoid breakage when the plate is subjected to undue strain.

A link 0 is pivoted at one end to the lugs 61 on the back of the plate a and at the other end to the rocker-arm p. The rocker-arm p is carried by a rock-shaft q, journaled beneath the table 0. v

There is nothing new about the mechanism which operates the folder, and it is to be understood that the rock-shaft q is actuated in the usual manner through the medium of a suitable cam on the main shaft of themachine and a connecting rod and arm, all wellknown parts in the art, which it is not deemed necessary to show or further describe. Should the blocksj be elevated against the resiliency of the springs m by reason of some obstruction with which the plate a comes in contact, no impediment is thrown in the way of the further operation of said. plate. On the contrary, the cycle of such operation may be completed or even repeated before the machine is stopped without any resulting damage. Without yielding bearings for the folder-plate or other equivalent means result above noted would not be possible of attainment.

to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in an envelop-machine of a back-folder having journals, and yielding boxes in which said journals are mounted.

said blocks in place on the machine-table.

3. The combination,in an envelop-machine, with a back-folder plate provided with journals, of holders rigidly attached to the machine-table, blocks for the plate-journals, pivotally connected to said holders, and springs arranged to normally retain said blocks in place, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination,in an envelop-machine, with a back-folder provided with journals, of holders having springs thereon bolted to the machine-table, and blocks for the plate-journals, pivotally connected to said holders, the free ends of said springs bearing on the blocks, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination,in anenvelop-machine, of a back-folder, provided with journals, a pivotally-connected holder and block for each of the plate-journals, springs arranged to normally depress said blocks, and means for operating the plate in its bearings, substantially as set forth. r

6. The combination,in an envelop-machine, with a back-folder plate provided with a roll extending in an unbroken curve from and beyond the face of said plate, around the base thereof, and journals projecting from the ends of said roll, of pivotally-connected holders and blocks for said journals, and springs arranged to normally depress said blocks, substantially as set forth.

7. A bearing for envelop-machine backfolder plates, comprising a holderf and a superimposed flat spring m both bolted to the machine-table, and a journal-blockj pivoted at Z to said holder, the free end of said spring being arranged to bear upon and press down the block, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination,in an envelop-machine, of a back-folder plate provided with a roll extending in an unbroken curve from and beyond the face of said plate, around the base thereof, journals projecting from the ends of said roll, pivotally-connected holders and blocks for said journals, springs arranged to normally depress said blocks, and means for operating the plate in its bearings, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence'of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE T.'LEMELIN.

Witnesses:

CALLISTUS D. DUNN, FRANK A. CUTTER. 

